Sharing Great Low-Budget Recipes – Good Food For Everybody!

Adrienne Maree Brown is, imho, a legendary young activist. She gathers young, old, straight, queer, academic and street savvy people and gets them rocking to change the world for the better – for EVERYONE! When I saw her really-cheap-delicious-and-easy-to-make potato recipe, I thought, what a great way to start implementing my master plan – introduce people who are making great change on my blog! Check out Adrienne, the Luscious Satyagraha‘s blog at: http://adriennemareebrown.net/blog/

Slice potatoes hella/very thin and layer them in a “boat” made of aluminum foil with manchego cheese and your favorite salad dressing (Adrienne’s was a homemade nutritional yeast dressing from the the Hollyhock Cookbook, super yummy), or olive oil, salt and pepper. Pinch the edges of the aluminum foil so it forms a tightly enclosed package.
Set the package on the edge of the grill while you cook your meat and/or veggies. After 10-15 minutes, peek inside to see if the liquids are boiling, the potatoes are getting transparent as they cook and the cheese is melting. At the end, put the package(s) in the center of the grill till the bottom blackens, then dump it in a bowl and serve.

Delicious!

Gramma Willi’s suggestions: Why not layer in some chopped sweet peppers, cooked onion and a few herbs (parsley, basil, or dill should be nice)? Meat lovers could add ham. For breakfast, you could break an egg or two on top after the potatoes are soft . Hmmm – using the barbeque for breakfast, why didn’t I think of this before? See how inspired I get when I listen to our youth?

A quick and easy recipe, good as a side dish or when you want to treat family or unexpected guests This is a delicious and elegant way to use leftover potatoes. Make it a complete meal by adding some protein food (eggs, mild cheese, tofu, beans-lentils, meat). Don’t forget to serve vegetarian meals with bread or other grain food, so that your body gets enough protein.

Cut tofu in 1/2 inch thick slices and drain by placing slices on a plate with another plate on top, weigh it down with a pot of water and let sit for 15-20 minutes, pour the water off, repeat. Marinate the tofu in cumin and soy sauce, set aside and turn it occasionally.
Heat a frying pan, add some cooking oil, and sauté the tofu until well browned. Set aside.
Cook onion and garlic and ginger in the pan until soft, add salt, pepper and onion powder and heat though. Add water to cover and a little soy sauce (to color it nice and brown) and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix flour or cornstarch in a cup or jar with a fork with cool water and slowly add to onion mixture a little at a time, stirring until it thickens. Adjust seasonings, add the tofu, stir gently and simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve.Options: Adding a little red cooking wine to the gravy, then serve over flat noodles for a meatless version of “Beef Burgundy.” Use sesame or peanut oil for extra warming flavor. Pepper lovers will want to grind it fresh over each portion before serving. Sauté diced red or green pepper with the onions to “kick it up” a gourmet notch. (… so there, Emeril, see if YOU can feed 4 people this inexpensively!)Freezing Tofu: The tofu will not need to be drained if you freeze it ahead of time and thaw for cooking; to freeze fresh tofu, slice and place on a tray in the freezer for a few hours, transfer it to a bag or freezer container and use as needed.

Easy to make, Corned Beef and Cabbage is not only a gourmet treat, but is an honored tradition here in the Canadian Maritimes. We call it “boiled dinner” and substitute pickled pork hocks, necks or ribs, fresh beef or fresh fish for the corned beef. Honorable mention goes out to Dave Osborne, who requested this recipe from Gramma Willi. NOT for the cholesterol-shy!

1-2 pound piece of corned beef

4-5 liters of Water

2-3 lbs. potatoes, scrubbed or peeled, chopped into bite size pieces

3-5 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks

1 medium sized turnip, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces

1 medium cabbage, cored and cut into 8 equal portions

Fill a large cooking pot with water, add the corned beef, bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for an hour or two, until the meat is pretty much cooked. Cut the meat into nice sized chunks and return to the cooking water.

Add the carrots, turnip and potatoes, add water to cover if necessary. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium-low and cook 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are almost tender. Add the cabbage over top of everything, bring to a boil, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until the cabbage is done. This is a delicious, satisfying and hearty meal served with home made bannock or corn bread.

Tip: If you’re making a fish boiled dinner, cook the vegetables first (I’d leave out the cabbage); add the fish during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking.

Money-Saving Hint: cut-price smoked meat or pastrami end-cuts work very well with this recipe and really save money! Cook them for a shorter time by adding all the meat and vegetables at once, bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour.

Place layers of potatoes, onion, 2 or 3 dots of margarine, salt and pepper in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish, finishing with a layer of potatoes. Pour milk over all and add a little more salt, pepper and dots of margarine.
Bake in a 350ºF oven for about an hour, until potatoes are cooked and a nicely browned crust is formed.Suggestions: include a layer or two of grated cheese for extra protein. Sprinkle parmesan cheese, paprika or bread crumbs on top. A little sprinkle of dill weed hidden inside really brings out the flavour of the potatoes! Topping the dish with canned milk before baking gives a delicious brown crust.

Sauté the onion in a large pot until soft, Add the potatoes, margarine and water to cover 1/2 inch above the vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are well cooked. Using a potato masher or fork, mash some of the potatoes in the pot and stir well to give a nice creamy soup.

Serve hot with bannock or bread.

Suggestion: Add carrots, turnip, parsnip or other vegetables. Add a little chopped meat, tomato sauce or a few beans. Parsley, dill and and garlic really help bring out a nice flavour in potatoes.

Option: One of my pals likes to thicken her potato soup with a flour-water mixture, like you’d do in a gravy… Try it if your soup is too thin; cook at lease 5 more minutes, stirring often.